Ukraine at the international showcase festival jazzahead!
jazzahead! is one of the largest and most significant jazz events of the year in the world that takes place in Bremen.
Ukraine at jazzahead! 2026
The Ukrainian Institute is proud to present the Ukrainian program at jazzahead! 2026 (April 22–25, Bremen), marking the 20th anniversary of the world’s leading jazz trade fair, conference, and showcase festival.
Ukraine will once again be represented with a national stand “Jazz from Ukraine” (6B52) and a dynamic delegation of musicians and music industry professionals, continuing its systematic presence at jazzahead! since 2022. The Ukrainian stand will serve as a key meeting point for international networking, project presentations, and new partnerships.
A special highlight of the Ukrainian program will take place on Friday, April 24, featuring:
- 1:00 PM – Ukrainian Reception at the national stand
- 3:00 PM – Europe Jazz Network presentation of the European Jazz Conference, including the announcement of the UA Jazz Prize and its winners
- 6:30 PM – Concert at St. Petri Cathedral: a unique Ukrainian–Swedish collaboration between pianist Andrii Pokaz and legendary drummer Magnus Öström
This duo performance represents a powerful artistic dialogue between Ukraine and Sweden, the partner country of jazzahead! 2026, and highlights the cultural connection between the partner cities Bremen and Odesa.
Discover jazz from Ukraine featuring this year’s delegates here.
The Ukrainian delegation brings together leading figures and active players of the jazz scene, including:
- Oleksii Kogan – radio journalist, producer, art director of Leopolis Jazz Festival
- Mariana Bondarenko – head of music at Ukrainian Institute
- Olesia Levytska – music curator at Dzyga Art Center, art director of Dzyga Jazz Fest, UA Jazz Network representative
- Andrii Pokaz – pianist, composer, Clubnight participant
- Volodymyr Pekh – drummer, lecturer at the Department of Pop and Jazz Music at the I. P. Kotliarevskyi Kharkiv National University of Arts
- Viktor Savkiv – founder of 32 Jazz Club (Kyiv)
- Kateryna Ziabliuk – pianist and editor at Meloport media
- Serhii Kadenko – musician, bandleader of Lockdown Trio and Run, music manager
- Liudmyla Shekera – music manager of ShekBand Family Trio
- Arkadii Mitnik – jazz photographer
- Tamara Lukasheva – singer, pianist, song writer and composer
A special focus is given to the Resonate UA capacity-building program delegation, which includes:
- Oleksander Seleznov – drummer, bandleader of Oleksandr Seleznov ETC
- Anna Shekera – pianist (ShekBand)
- Oleksander Malyshev – pianist, bandleader of Oleksandr Malyshev Quintet
- Yulia Roma – jazz vocalist, lecturer at the R. M. Glière Kyiv Municipal Academy of Music
- Oleksander Mashovets – guitarist, bandleader of Oleksandr Mashovets Quartet
- Artem Selikhanovych – pianist, composer
The Resonate UA program is implemented by the Ukrainian Institute and the Swedish music organization Musikcentrum Öst, in partnership with the R. M. Glière Kyiv Municipal Academy of Music and the I. P. Kotl.
Ukraine at jazzahead! 2025
At jazzahead! 2025, taking place from April 24 to 26, Ukraine will be represented by a strong delegation and exciting new releases that highlight the resilience and vitality of its jazz scene. Under the motto “Jazz from Ukraine,” the Ukrainian stand (6C03) will present the country’s rich musical heritage and contemporary talents to the international jazz community. The project is initiated and supported by the Ukrainian Institute.
Join us on April 26 at 3:00 PM at our stand for the Ukrainian reception – RESONATING UKRAINE.
A delegation of 10 Ukrainian jazz professionals will be present, offering networking opportunities and insights into the dynamic Ukrainian jazz landscape, as well as fostering new collaborations. The delegation includes:
- Oleksii Kogan – jazz journalist, producer, and artistic director of the Leopolis Jazz Festival
- Serhii Gemberg – director of the Art Jazz Festival in Rivne
- Liudmyla Shekera – music manager of ShekBand
- Arkady Mitnik – jazz photographer
Also present are delegates participating in a study visit as part of the capacity-building programme “Resonate UA.”
The programme was launched in collaboration with Musikcentrum Öst and supports Ukrainian musicians and managers in establishing themselves on the international music scene. Participants include:
- Alina Zalozna, vocalist, arranger, and bandleader;
- Yevhen Dubovyk, composer, pianist, and leader of the Yevhenii Dubovyk Project;
- Maria Usenko, vocalist, songwriter, producer, and bandleader of the Maria Lui Quintet;
- Andrii Martynenko, saxophonist and composer, known as Andrii Barmalii;
- Olesia Levytska, promo agent and music manager at Dzyga jazz club in Lviv, delegate from Resonate UA)
- Ivanna Lishchuk, festival director Lesya Kvartyrynka, music manager
"Jazz from Ukraine. Vol. 1"
The brand-new compilation album “Jazz from Ukraine. Vol. 1”, curated by Oleksii Kogan, was presented to an international audience. The album is already generating interest and will soon be featured on jazz radio shows in Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, Slovakia, Mexico, and more.
Jazz journalist and producer Oleksii Kogan also used this year’s jazzahead! as an opportunity to gather valuable material for his upcoming radio shows on Ukrainian National Radio. We are especially looking forward to his Bremen Diaries — a special series highlighting key moments and reflections from jazzahead! 2025.
"Serhii Artemov. In Memoriam"
We also presented the note sheet “Serhii Artemov. In Memoriam“, a collection of eight compositions by the talented Ukrainian jazz musician and composer Serhii Artemov. Artemov tragically lost his life in 2023 at the age of 29 while defending Ukraine. This publication serves as both a tribute to his artistry and a testament to the enduring spirit of Ukrainian jazz.
Ukrainischer Stand auf jazzahead! 2024
Ukrainian stand JAZZ FROM UKRAINE – 6A42
April 11–13Ukrainian reception
April 12, 4:00–5:00 PM at the Ukrainian stand 6A42Band performances as part of the showcase programme
DZ’OB is an electro-acoustic ensemble from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro which combines jazz, classical and contemporary electronic music such as IDM, techno and dubstep in its own eclectic way. The ensemble was founded in 2014 and consists of Vasyl Starshinov (oboe), Oleksii Starshinov (bassoon), Iryna Li (violin), Oleksii Badin (cello) and Andrii Yarovyi (percussion / electronics). The ensemble will be presenting its next album ‘The Playground’, which is due to be released in the fall of 2024.
Ganna is the multinational ethnic quintet from Berlin around the Ukrainian singer and composer Ganna Gryniva. Since 2014 GANNA has been performing powerful reinterpretations of old Ukrainian folk songs inspired by Ganna Gryniva´s folklore research travels to different regions of Ukraine. The band members contribute with their different cultural backgrounds and help to unveil the beauty of the old songs: Povel Widestrand from Sweden (piano), Uli Kempendorff (tenor saxophone) and Tom Berkmann (upright bass) from Germany, Mathias Ruppnig from Austria (drums).
O.N.E. is the first Polish-Ukrainian all-female instrumental jazz band. As an acoustic quartet, they mix lyricism and songfulness with their wild and uncompromising freejazz energy. Monia Muc (alto sax), Kamila Drabek (double bass), Patrycja Wybrańczyk (drums) and Kateryna Ziabliuk (piano) are outstanding representatives of the young generation of musicians of the Polish improvised scene.
Playlist "Ukraine at jazzahead! 2024"
Ukrainian delegates at jazzahead! 2024
- Oleksi Badin, showcasing artist, DZ’OB ensemble manager
- Ganna Gryniva, showcasing artist, Ganna ensemble manager
- Kateryna Ziabliuk, showcasing artist, O.N.E. ensemble, composer, publicist at Meloport
- Oleksij Kogan, radio moderator, artistic director of Leopolis Jazz Fest
- Mariana Bondarenko, head of music at Ukrainian Institute
- Dmytro Savkiv, director of 32 jazz club in Kyiv, MayDay Art foundation
- Artur Yampolsky, artistic director of 32 jazz club in Kyiv
- Yulia Struk, art manager of jazz club ‘Jam’ in Rivne, manager of Art Jazz School
- Tamara Lukasheva, vocalist, composer
- Laura Marti, vocalist, band leader
- Igor Osypov, guitarist, composer and producer
- Arkady Mitnik, jazz photographer
- Viktor Ovchynnikov, booking manager at Leopolis Jazz Fest
- Olena Bour-Moskalenko, Founder of Ukrainian artists (musicians) community (KUM – Niedersachsen)
- Volodymyr Prikhozhay, composer, pianist, arranger, representative of the KUM_NDS
- Olga Kovalevska, director of Urban Lys agency and media